Absolute and relative frequency
Make a tally chart of a survey, work out relative frequencies as fractions, decimals and percent and compare groups of different size.
- Germany: grade 6
Guide
After a survey you have a list of answers (Urliste). A tally chart (Strichliste) counts them. The number of times an answer occurs is its absolute frequency. All absolute frequencies together are the number of answers.
The relative frequency is the share of all answers: absolute frequency divided by the number of answers. You can write it as a fraction (8 of 20 = 8/20 = 2/5), as a decimal (0,4) or as a percent (40 %). The relative frequencies add up to 1 or 100 %.
Absolute frequencies cannot be compared between groups of different size. Relative frequencies can: they show the share in each group. The bar chart of relative frequencies has the percent on the vertical axis.